My wife is pregnant (4 months) and works weird hours so she is tired alot-and im sort of frustrated sometimes. SO, having bought a bike two weeks ago, and gotten my rack and bag mounted the other day, I decided to go for a little ride tonight to sort of pace out a possible path (part way, at least) to work. There is a bike trail that extends down a major HWY for a few miles, and then crosses over and onto the street that eventually terminates where I work. All in all, I figure its about 6 miles whether I take that way or the city path that isn't along the HWY.

Anywho, so I fire up the front light and rear blinky, and start this fun interesting journey called cycling. I have a Specialized Hard Rock, hard tail, aluminum (?) frame, with knobbies, an aluminum rear rack, and empty Topeak slide on bag. I head on out, taking the street to 48th, then sidewalk it, since 48th street is a major, and even though its 315 am, I would normally be riding at 0700, when traffic is heavier on a two lane street that is a major artery.

I head up the residential street of my neighborhood, my slotted seat favoring my man bits, happy that I adjusted both the height a bit, and inclination. Spinning along up a *hill* (well, for me anyway Im 278 so any rise in elevation is a Hill. My Suunto was laughing at me though, barely registering the elevation change) and then back down again I connect to 48th and discover why you all wear padded @ss shorts. The sidewalk isn't horrible bad, but DdddAAAaaMMMmmNNNNnnnNNnn.....ow-every bump counts. I didn't notice it on the leg out, but I started to on the way back. About a mile down 48th I connect up to the trail, paved, lined down the center, and head west for about a mile and a half. At this point, I discover that I probably don't want to try 14th street, as the trail that I am on winds around and not really a straight line to work, while the city path would be.

My total trip tonight-first substantial ride, while eyeing turns and not quite knowing the terrain was 30 minutes on the dot and 5.3 miles. I wonder how that works out in calories?

Yea me! Im going to do that a few more times before I depend on my times to get me to work, but considering my other route is 5.7 miles one way with at least 8 hours between riding and having to ride again, Im feeling pretty good about this. Now I just need to get a computer and a new red blinkie-damn thing clipped off my rear bag somewhere along the way either there or back. :notamused:It had a pretty good clip on it and I clipped it to the back of my rear bag-It was a 9.00 light and if I have my bag on my rack I can't have a light on the seatpost or seat rear. Maybe Ill just get a clip and stick it on me somewhere. Any Ideas for a good clip light? (this one was a WM light)

My wrists are a bit tingly, too-I tried to mind my wrist posture, and I have bars, but I might look at a set of the flat 'wrist rest' bars (whatever they are called), the ones where they look like your normal MTB bars except on the ends where they flatten out.

You'll still feel the bumps a bit, even with padded shorts. Instead, you learn to "ride light' and kind of take the bumps using your legs for a suspension. As you pick up experience on the bike, you'll learn that the saddle is a kind of balance reference.....it's hard to explain and I'm not telling you you're going to be riding standing up all the time. ;)

Also look into some padded cycling gloves. 2 reasons:
they help absorb some of the road shock and spread the pressure out on your hands
they will keep your skin on your palms if you have a spill (You WILL instinctively try to keep the face off the pavementr with your hands!)

Also, yeah, some bar ends will help a lot, as well. ;)

Yeah, im noticing this morning still that my right hand, right under where the fingers join my hand hurts, vaguely arthritic. Im just sort of sore all over at this point-partly my fault-Id probably feel better if I didnt go riding at 3am after not sleeping yet! *lol*:lol: Thanks for the advice, I will definietly look into gloves, too-my current bar ends are vertical, extending off the normal ends but that sort of sucks for shifting. I really like to keep my hands close while I get used to what my gears will do.

Rotate those bar ends forward to an angle approximating brake hoods on a road bike. Then they can actually be used for something. ;)

I really don't know why people keep installing those things pointing straight up. :eek: Yeah, im noticing this morning still that my right hand, right under where the fingers join my hand hurts, vaguely arthritic. Im just sort of sore all over at this point-partly my fault-Id probably feel better if I didnt go riding at 3am after not sleeping yet! *lol*:lol: Thanks for the advice, I will definietly look into gloves, too-my current bar ends are vertical, extending off the normal ends but that sort of sucks for shifting. I really like to keep my hands close while I get used to what my gears will do.

Brake hoods? Hmmm...I think mine point out about 60 degrees right now, but they are unpadded.

The ride will get better as you learn the route. Some sections of pavement will be rougher than others. Hard to tell at night where the smooths "line" is.
You might want to get rid of the knobby tires and get some skinnier street tires. You'll go faster or work less to do the same speed.

Tires are on my list. I was thinking some Conti's or something with some kevlar in them to protect.

+1 on the padded gloves. I have some from REI that have leather palms with gel padding, fingerless. Helps the hands a lot, and the leather palms saved my hands during a wipe out once. Good job on getting out and riding. I just started commuting recently. Hang in there. It gets easier quickly.

Good for you.

In theory, they aren't "padded shorts" but shorts with a chamois to absorb moisture. IOW, the padding is only incidental to their purpose, but I guess it can help at times.

As someone mentioned, use your knees as shock absorbers.

Figure about 50-70 calories burned per mile. You need to burn 3500 calories to lose a pound. Which is why eating appropriately is so important during weight loss efforts.

I wouldn't ride on the road at 3:15 am, because, in my mind, that is when the drunk drivers are more prevalent. Just my humble opinion, though. YMMV

Slicks will make your life a lot easier.

I have an older Spec HR with NO suspension, and ride it on anything. They call me "old iron butt!"

Mine is no suspension all around as well. The roads in Lincoln at 3am are pretty quiet. Last call is at one, and it was a thursday night. Colleges are out, so no 1.00 beer runs going on, and I live in a quieter part of town so i wasn't too worried about it, but the thought did cross my mind that its not something I want to do every night!

Congrats on your first ride, Alathea, the hard part is now out of the way. :)

Any Ideas for a good clip light? (this one was a WM light)

The best rear light that I've both used and seen is a Planet bike superflash (http://www.pricepoint.com/detail/16526-225_PLBSF7-2-Accessories-35-Lights/Planet-Bike-Superflash-Tail-Light.htm)

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/planetbike/media/3034.jpg

but I don't recommend mounting any clip on light to your bags (never can quite be sure where they aim while you're riding, or when they'll clip off). The superflash comes with both seat stay and seatpost mounting clips. The one for the seat stay can also be mounted onto your rack (using the larger of the rubber shims that they supply). I have 2 on the back of my commuting bike no problems, and I get tons of motorized vehicle respect when using them. I even run them during the day in sections that have heavy traffic.

Didn't think of that. My rack is a seatpost rack and bag combo, to there isn't any room on the seatpost for a light now (where I had it originally) Maybe ill use the mounting hardware with my cateye that I have coming from the Bay and put it on the rack. Im thinking about getting another small cateye light for the other side of my front bar-dualies! ITs a nice little unit, but not super bright. Of course, for now, my commuting would be after dawn and way pre dusk so its not much of an issue. Thanks for the suggestion for the light-Ill look at those too. Can't have too many, right?